Age of Empires 2 followers aren’t any strangers to the sport receiving new factions. The Definitive Version’s curators, Forgotten Empires, have usually up to date the sport with new playable civs for years. Nevertheless it seems the sport’s historical past of including sudden dynasties stretches a lot farther again in time than 2017, no less than based on one of many sequel’s unique designers.
That designer is Sandy Petersen, who joined Ensemble Studios after leaving id Software program the place he labored on each Doom and Quake. As Petersen defined in a prolonged thread on X (by way of Windows Central), he was assigned to design the sequel’s first enlargement pack, The Conquerors. As was the case for the unique sport’s enlargement, Rise of Rome, Petersen opted to incorporate 4 playable civs, the Spanish, the Aztecs, the Huns, and the Mayans.
“The challenge went forward extraordinarily properly. We had been virtually fully completed, 5 weeks forward of schedule as of January 2000,” Petersen remembers. “I used to be excited to maneuver onto Age of Empires 3. Then Microsoft known as and we had an essential convention name.”
In keeping with Petersen, Microsoft urged him so as to add a fifth faction to the enlargement, the Koreans. Petersen identified that Korea isn’t identified for its historical past of conquest. “Koreans, tremendously to their credit score, weren’t conquerors. They stayed of their lane. Whereas they’re cool, they do not match the Conquerors theme.”
In Peterson’s recollection, Microsoft then argued that “StarCraft bought 3 million copies in Korea”. To this, Peterson identified, “StarCraft would not have any Koreans in it, so these gross sales had zero to do with a Korean civ.” Microsoft then reiterated the three million determine, at which level Petersen relented. “As soon as somebody merely repeats a earlier argument, it is clear they’re now not performing from logic or intelligence.”
Ensemble apparently “crammed” within the Koreans in the course of the remaining leg of growth, as a result of “Microsoft did not give us any additional time.” Though they acquired the faction completed, Petersen says the studio made three errors: Utilizing the “flawed artwork” for the sport’s turtle ships, referring to the “Sea of Japan” as an alternative of the “East Sea,” which is what it’st referred to as in Korea, and referencing a Japanese invasion of Korea within the late 1600s “which for some purpose in 2000 was controversial”. He additionally claims {that a} Microsoft consultant in Korea was “arrested and detained for some time”, which might be a fairly outstanding flip of occasions.
At this level, it is price noting that that is removed from the primary time Petersen has shared tales about his videogame profession, and a number of other of his recollections have been disputed previously. Petersen’s major sceptic is Doom co-creator John Romero, who Petersen labored alongside at id Software program. Earlier this 12 months, for instance, Petersen claimed that he “Wrote the unique Doom backstory”. Romero rapidly responded to state this was “incorrect”, and that the backstory was written by id Software program cofounder Tom Corridor earlier than Petersen joined id Software program.
There are numerous other examples of Romero disputing claims and recollections made by Petersen. Romero wasn’t parley to the event Age of Empires 2 or its Conqueror’s enlargement, nevertheless, so for now we solely have Petersen’s perspective.
Both approach, Petersen’s remaining level, that “we did not promote 3 million copies of Age of Empires 2 in Korea in spite of everything” does no less than appear correct. However that hasn’t stopped the sport from having fun with a long time of assist from each its gamers and Microsoft. Certainly, the Definitive Version continues to be receiving large patches, with the newest being one of many biggest updates the sport’s ever had.
